Vertical shutter



Aug. 19, 1952 D. F. HALL VERTICAL SHUTTER F iled Dec. 9, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIPCE 7 2,607,452 I vERTIoALsnU'r'raa Donald F. Hen, Bhoeni'x. Aria. Application December 9, 1947, Seria1No. 790,5i7

This invention relates to vertical shutters.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a shutter whichhas a row of vertically pivoted slat elements arranged so that they may be revolved through 180 degrees toadmit sunlight or air from any angle within the ambit of their exposure.

Another object is to provide a shutter having a plurality of rows of vertically pivoted shutters, arranged as above stated, and with each row operative independently so that privacy and veneral rows of a composite shutter, as above described, throughout 180 degrees, selectively, as desired.

Another object is to provide mounting devices and'mechanism for slats included in a shutter, as

above described, whereby each slat may be rotatively adjusted to rotate in proper relation to the adjacent slat to obtain tight closure therewith at .each limit of rotation.

Another object is to provide rotary operative mechanism for slats arranged as above described whereby slats composing a horizontal row may be rotated in unison between limits 180 degrees apart without binding and with only such frictional resistance as may be necessary to retain them in position at a desired angle; this mechanism including means for operating the slats from a remote position on the inside of the wall on which the shutter is mounted, and including an arrangement of parts by which any one of a plurality of rows can be adjusted from said position.

Still another object is to provide a shutter adapted for mounting on the walls of an 'habitation, having a plurality of rows of vertically pivoted slats made of material having reflecting flat surfaces adapted to reflect light into said habitation and folds along the edges arranged to act as air currents into said habitation as desired.

ther objects will appear hereinafter. I attain the foregoing objects by means of the devices'and structures shown in the accompany- Figure 2, a perspective View of a portion of a 2 Claims. (01. 189 -62) shutter with parts broken away to show interior construction;

Figure 3, a perspective view of the shutter operatingmechanism, drawn-on a slightly enlarged Figure a transverse section taken on line 4-4,! Fi re 3;

Figure 5, a plan view of several shutters showing relative rotary action; and

Figure 6 is a section of a rack guide block taken on line Figure 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

'lfhis shutterframe 2 is composed of vertical end members 3 and 4, longitudinal top and bottom members 5- and 6, and intermediate longitumemb'er I. These 7 parts are preferably made of sheet metal folded in a break to provide the necessary flats, plates, and flanges.

Upper longitudinal frame member 5 is shaped to provide an attaching flange 9 at the back of theframe 2, a top covering or cap plate ill, a front plate I l, and ajournal bearing plate I2.

Lower longitudinal member 6 includes the same plate and flange elements in reverse order from top to bottom.

Vertical end members includeattaching flanges l4, side closure plates 15, and inner slat contact flanges ii, with these parts arranged successively forming right and left pairs. Intermediate frame member 1 consists of a front plate It with the sheet material folded back to form upper and lower journal bearing and supporting plates 2t and 2!, respectively.

An upper row of slats 23 extends between frame members 5 and i, and a lower row 24 of slats 25 extends between frame members 1 and 6.

Th bearing pins and shafts of the slats of "upper row 23 are journalled in plates l2 and 20;

respectively, while the bearing pins and shafts of the slats of the lower row 24 are Journalled respectively in plate l2 of frame member 6, and plate 2! of member 7.

All slats 23 and 25 are rectangular in shape and similarly constructed mainly of one piece of sheet metal. Each has a flat middle portion consisting of two flat reflecting plates 28 and 29 joined by a right angular V groove 30, with the lateral edge of plate 28 bent toward the back, forming an air scoop and closing flange 21, and that of plate 29 bent oppositely toward the front for a similar purpose. At one end of each slat a block 3! having a square section is afiixed by strap 32, and carris a bearing pin 33. At the slats in-top row 23.

nipulating the rack operating means.

. opposite end a block 34 is attached by strap 35.

This block carries a centrally positioned outwardly extending shaft 36, secured by set screw 31, a pinion gear 38 is keyed to the outer end of this shaft.

Obviously the bearing pins 33 of all slats of row 23 are at the top, and those of the slats in row 24 are at the bottom. Shafts 36 of all slats carrying pinions are journalled in the respective top and bottom plates of frame member I. The slat operating mechanism is contained, for the most part, within this member. A rack 4| is slidably mounted in blocks 39 spaced along this frame member, and block 40 at one end. In mounting the racks in blocks 39, a groove 51 is first cut'to receive the rack, then a wider groove 58 is formed. A plug 59, having an attaching flange BI] is fitted into these notches. An arched spring shoe 6] covers the face of plug 59 and presses against the back face of the rack. Screw 62 presses this shoe against therack to regulate tension and friction, and to keep the racks in mesh with their respective pinions. The teeth of this rack engage the pinion gears 38 on the bottom shafts 36 of all A rack 42 is similarly supported in blocks 39 and 40, but is positioned so that its teeth engage pinions 38 on the ends of shafts 36 at the upper ends of all slats of row 24.

.The rack teeth which engage the slat pinions There are on the sides-of the racks 38 and 42. are also operative rack teeth 43 on the top face of the bar of rack 4|; and operative teeth 44 on the top face of the bar rack 42. Ashaft 45 has a turning knob 46 on its outer end, extends into and is journalled in block 40 thrutubular shaft 43 and carries a pinion 4'! which engages rack teeth 43 on rack 4|. Tubular shaft 48 carries a knob -58 on its outer end, is journalled in the plates of block-40 and carries a pinion on its inner endadapted to engage eeth 44 on the top.

face of rack 42. It willbe se n that the operating rack teeth and pinions are disposed at right angles to the pinion rack teeth which engage pinions operating the shutters. The knobs,

shaft, tubular shaft and pinions 41 and 5| may be termed the rack operating means.

The composite shutter is installed by securing the flanges of the several outside frames to the outer face of a habitation wall to cover an openrays; conversely, direct sunlight may be shut ofi by positioning the slats at right angles to the sun rays. On a south exposure the desired position of the slats may be maintained throughout the sweep of the sun from east to west by malight is desired in various portions of the interior of the habitation it may be reflected from the bright surfaces of the slats by proper adjustment of the angle of the slats relative to the position of the sun. Similarly, and when installed on any wall face outside air currents may be shut off or directed into the habitation by rotating the slats so that their air scoop edges catch cross currents (or semi-cross currents) of air. For example, on an east wall installation, southerly winds may be brought into the habitation by opening the shutter and positioning the slats to direct them angularly toward the direction of the wind. In all cases the shutter may Where be closed by rotating the slats to closed position at either limit of their movement. Note particularly, as shown in Figure 5, how the end slat 53 will engage either the inside or outside of flange I! of the lateral frame member 3, and at the same time, the juncture between the next adjoining slat may be sealed at either terminus of the rotation.

It is obvious that rotation is limited by contact 'of the edges'of the air scoops of the end slats with the flanges of the lateral frame members. Since it may be desirable to have the upper part of the shutter open and the lower closed, two rows ofv slats are shown, their operation is conveniently governed by the operating means shown, and the shaft and tube construction can easily be extended thru any conventional wall structure.

While I have shown one exemplary form of my shutter construction it is obvious that many modifications can be made, none of which would effect the novelty here disclosed. Also, many'materials different from those described may be used in constructing the awning and its several elements. Therefore, I wish to be limited only by the-following claims.

I claim:

1. A shutter comprising, in combination, a rectangularframe composed of horizontal outside members having attaching plates, a horizontal intermediate member having top and bottom bearing plates joined by a front plate; and end members having attaching flanges, side plates, and inwardly extending stop and closing flanges; horizontal rows of vertically pivoted slats mounted on end pivot shafts journalled in the bearing plates of one of said outside horizontal frame members and said intermediate frame member, respectively; each of said slats being formed of a sheet of metal having polished reflecting surfaces, and being folded lengthwise to provide a the shafts 'journalled in said intermediate horizontal frame member; and operative mechanism to turn each respective row of said slats in unison including racks, having teeth, operative longitudinally within said intermediate frame member in guide blocks, said guide blocks having frictional members adapted to maintain said rack teeth in engagement with the pinions of horizontal faces of said racks contiguous to adjacent ends thereof, gears carried on operative shafts, adapted to extend thru wall structure, engaging said operative teeth, and operative knobs on the inner ends of said operative shafts; said operative racks, gears, and shafts being arranged so that their axes coincide, one shaft being hollow and journalled in a block at the end of said intermediate frame member, and the other shaft being journalled within said hollow shaft with its inner end extending beyond the inner end of said hollow shaft, and with said operative knobs adj acently positioned.

2. In a shutter including a rectangular frame composed of horizontal outside members having attaching plates, a horizontal intermediate member having top and bottom bearing plates joined by .a front plate, and end members having attaching flanges, side plates, and inwardly extending stop and closing flanges; horizontal rows of vertically pivoted slats mounted on end pivot shafts journaled in the bearing plates of one of said outside horizontal frame members and said 5 intermediate frame member, respectively; each of said slats being formed of a sheet of metal having polished, reflecting surfaces and being folded lengthwise to provide a central V-shaped stiffening groove and oppositely directed edge folds forming air scoops, pivot shafts supported in blocks held in each of said stiffening grooves, and pinion gears attached to the shaft journaled in said intermediate horizontal frame member, the combination therewith of mechanism adapted to turn the slats of each respective row in unison or independently, including horizontally extending racks operatively supported in said intermediate horizontal frame member, one of said racks adapted to engage the pinions of one row of said slats and the other rack being adapted to engage the pinions of the other row of slats, bearing blocks adapted to maintain the teeth of said racks resiliently in engagement with the teeth of each pinion respectively of the slats in the row which it operates, a block adapted to afford slidable support for the ends of said racks disposed adjacent to one side Wall of said frame, concentric operating shafts extending through said block and outward beyond the inner surfaces of said frame having pinions engaging teeth 6 on each of said respective racks at their inner ends, and knobs at their outer ends disposed adjacently so that either one or both knobs may be grasped and turned in order to rotate the slats of each of said rows as desired.

DONALD F. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the France Mar. 5, 1928 

